Gouache IN 4 EASY STEPS A Beginner’s Guide to Creating Beautiful Paintings in No Time ANNA KOLIADYCH Author of 15-Minute Watercolor Masterpieces
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TO MY HUSBAND AND SOUL MATE IGNAT. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO EXPLAIN HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE.
INTRODUCTION Hello, my name is Anna. I am an illustrator, artist and art teacher. Since I began my artistic journey with watercolor about five years ago, I have enjoyed diving into this wonderful world. Because I am a creative person and always love experimenting and trying new things, I wanted to start with a new medium that I would love just as much as I love watercolor. Once I bought my first gouache set of just a few tubes of paint, I immediately fell in love with this medium. It was an amazing feeling. And from that time on, I never stopped painting with this magical paint. I always say that gouache is magical because it’s super vivid, unbelievably flexible and so relaxing to paint with. Gouache allows you to paint in different styles, easily fix mistakes and make the process effortless, fun and relaxing. Gouache painting does not have as many techniques and rules as other media, such as watercolor. As a result, it is much easier to get started painting with gouache. Inside you’ll find 50 quick and easy projects for anyone who wants to start painting, try a new medium or unlock their creativity. The best way to learn a new art medium is by practicing it. With the projects from this book, you will gain confidence, boost your painting skills and discover for yourself the magic of gouache. By practicing with this book, you will quickly learn gouache. Each project takes less than an hour. I divided each lesson in this book
into steps that will help you easily and quickly create impressive and beautiful results. How to work with this book This book is very easy to work with. It includes the basics for a better understanding of gouache, as well as chapters featuring projects on various themes. Make sure that you read the first chapter on gouache techniques (here) before jumping into your first project. It will help introduce you to gouache and learn the particulars of this medium. After that, pick any project from a chapter you like and practice. All the projects are listed in order from easy to more complicated, but I advise you to choose the lessons that most appeal to you. By following all instructions and tips, you will get an easy and quick, but beautiful, painting. Enjoy the process and the magic of gouache! I hope you will fall in love with gouache as much as I have. With love, Anna
GOUACHE TECHNIQUES, TIPS & EXERCISES WHAT IS GOUACHE? “What is gouache?” is the most common question I have received recently via my social media. And I totally understand the interest in this medium. Gouache is becoming super trendy because it is versatile and easy to use. Here I have broken down the most important facts about gouache. This way, you will get a clear and basic understanding of what gouache is. • Gouache is a water-soluble paint. • Gouache combines some characteristics of both watercolors and acrylics. • Gouache has a thick, creamy consistency and is an opaque paint. • Gouache gives a matte finish when it dries. • Gouache paint dries quickly. • Gouache can be used as watercolor. If you add a large amount of water to the gouache, you will get a transparent layer. • Gouache works from dark to light layers, as well as from light to dark layers. • Gouache can be used on different types of paper. • Gouache usually comes in tubes and is best when freshly squeezed from the tube. • When gouache dries, dark colors become a bit lighter and the light colors become darker. CONSISTENCY OF GOUACHE PAINT If you squeeze gouache paint from the tube onto a palette, you will see that the consistency of gouache is pretty thick and creamy.
However, because it’s a water-based paint, it should be applied with water. First of all, your brush should always be moistened, but not wet. The exception would be for the dry-brush technique (here). You want to add a little bit of clean water to the gouache paint to get the right consistency. It will still be creamy and thick, but much more flexible, and it will apply to the paper easily and smoothly. In this book, all the projects are intended to use this consistency of gouache. The more water you add to the gouache paint, the more transparent it will become, and it will work more like watercolor. If you’re painting with gouache for the first time, I recommend practicing with a quick exercise just to get a feel for how to get the right consistency (see Figure 1). Image No. 1: Squeeze a small amount of gouache on the palette. Moisten your brush and pick up the paint from the palette. Now paint any shape with this paint consistency. You will get the effect of the dry brush, and it’s a really nice texture. While it’s a nice texture, it’s not the best consistency for a smooth finish. Image No. 2: Now add a little bit of water to the paint on the palette and paint any shape with this consistency. Notice how, this time, the paint laid down so well and smoothly.
Image No. 3: Then add more water to the paint on the palette. Paint another shape, next to the first two. And as in the previous example, the result is still opaque, and it feels like the right consistency. Images No. 4 & No. 5: If you keep adding water you will see that the layers become more and more transparent. Eventually you will get a transparent layer, as with watercolor paint. Your goal is to create an opaque and creamy consistency—not too thick and not too transparent. COLOR CONTRAST WITH GOUACHE Contrast is a principle in art that refers to the difference in parameters such as color, size and texture. High contrast means adding intensity and bringing more attention to the elements of the piece. Without contrast, the viewer may have trouble connecting with the painting and lose interest in it.
In this section, I will show you how to add contrast in the easiest way: with color. Let’s have a look at a few color contrast variations. 1. Color contrast with gouache can be achieved by adding light colors onto a dark layer (see Figure 2). The highest contrast you can get is painting with white on a dark layer. 2. Color contrast also works if you add dark colors to a light layer (see Figure 3). In this case, the highest contrast you can get is painting with black on a light layer. 3. Color contrast is created by adding white (see Figure 4). For this technique, use one color as a base. Then add white to the base color so you have two colors: base and base + white. You can swap colors and paint first with either of them. Then add the other on top. In both cases, you will get a gentle contrast. 4. Alternatively, color contrast is created by adding black (see Figure 5). This rule works the same as adding white. But instead of white, add black or any other dark color. COLOR MIXING Mixing colors is a very important skill that can be learned with practice. While working on projects from this book, some basic principles will help you feel more confident when choosing colors and mixing them. Color mixing is based on color theory. Let’s begin with the color wheel (see Figure 6).
The color wheel is a circle containing twelve hues arranged according to their relationship with one another. It is divided into three main color groups. The primary colors are yellow, red and blue. The group is called “primary” because no other colors can be mixed to create these colors. The secondary colors are orange, green and purple. They’re made by mixing equal amounts of two primary colors. There are six shades that make up the tertiary colors: red-orange, red-purple, yellow-green, yellow-orange, blue-purple and bluegreen. They are made by mixing a secondary color with a primary color. In theory, you need just three primary colors to create any palette. However, keep in mind the principle of warm and cool tones. The warm tones are reds, oranges and yellows. The cool tones are greens, blues and purples. Yellow-green and red-purple are inbetween tones and can be used as both warm and cool tones. Any one color can have two tones: warm and cool. In Figure 7, you can
see the two tones of yellow. The first one is “Primary Yellow” and it is a cool color. The second one is “Permanent Yellow Deep,” a warm color that’s almost orange. Depending on the cool or warm tones you use for mixing, you will get different results. Mixing gouache paints has some specific rules. First of all, white gouache is, in my opinion, an essential color in gouache painting. Second, the saturation of the color depends not on the water balance, as with watercolors, but on the proportion of the colors. Mixing gouache is a matter not only of which colors to mix but also the proportions of each color and the presence of white (see Figure 8). Each project in this book includes a color mixing section (see Figure 9). There you can see the visual swatches as well as a description with proportions. Of course, these proportions are very approximate because the results will depend on the brands of gouache you use (some colors may differ). But I do recommend you follow all these proportions, especially at the start of your gouache journey. Brush Strokes This section is divided into two parts. First, I will explain the various brush strokes and why it’s so important to know and use them. Then you’ll have a chance to practice these techniques. Let’s discuss everything step by step. Brush stroking is how you can use a particular brush more effectively (see Gouache Brushes for more information on brush types). It’s one of the basic skills in painting and makes your
painting process much easier. That’s why it’s essential knowledge in painting with any medium. Depending on the brush type, you can produce different brush strokes and patterns. Figure 10 shows different strokes for: the round brush, filbert brush, flat brush and detail brush. For each kind of brush, there are a few main types of stroke. Those brush strokes vary depending on how you hold the brush, how you move it on the paper and how long you maintain contact with the paper. Let’s consider the example of the flat brush. The very first line was made with the brush sloped to the paper and then pulled forward along the surface of the paper (1 in Figure 10). The second stroke is the same method, but instead of pulling the brush onto the paper (2 in Figure 10) you can make the next stroke by holding the brush vertically above the paper so that only the tip of the brush touches it. Gently press the brush onto the paper (3a in Figure 10). Similarly, press the brush and pull it forward a little along the surface of the paper (3b in Figure 10).
Finally, I sloped the brush horizontally to the paper and then pulled it forward a little along the surface of the paper and at the same time changed direction to achieve a wavy effect (4 in Figure 10). At first, it may not sound easy to control the brushes and get a handle on all these strokes. Practicing them now will save you a lot of time in the future. Below I prepared some exercises that will help you master brush stroke skills. The main brush we will use is the round brush. COLORING THE SHAPE. By using the round brush, first paint the outline of the shape and then fill it in with the same color (see Figure 11). COLORING THE SHAPE WITH A DRY-BRUSH EFFECT. I recommend practicing this exercise with the filbert or flat brush. Just paint the rectangular area and then continue painting the edges using the dry-brush effect. To do this, paint by using the rest of the paint, or take additional paint and spread it around the edges to achieve a rough effect (see Figure 12). This exercise is a demonstration of the dry-brush technique, which is used often in the projects in this book.
WAVY LINES. Hold the brush vertically and paint wavy lines as shown in Figure 13. Practice with round and filbert brushes. USING THE BRUSH TIP. With the detail brush or a liner, use the examples in Figure 14 to paint lines using only the brush tip. ONE BRUSH STROKE PAINTING. By following the example shown in Figure 15, try to repeat shapes of leaves and petals by using a single stroke. For this, press the brush, pull it along the paper and then lift it. The more you move the brush, the longer the stroke will be. Practice with round and filbert brushes in different sizes. BRUSH STROKE ONE BY ONE. Take a small round brush or detail brush and paint the strokes one by one. In Figure 16, you can see how this looks if you paint on top of another layer. Brush stroking is all about practicing. And practice always makes sense, even if you are an experienced artist. Experiment with your brushes and practice as often as possible.
GOUACHE TECHNIQUES In this section, I will introduce some techniques I use when painting with gouache. These methods will help you learn to paint with gouache, understand this medium from different sides and more effectively utilize the projects from this book. I recommend you learn each of these techniques before you start working on the projects in the following chapters. The names of these techniques may differ from those used in other sources. Also, you might encounter other techniques elsewhere. If so, don’t skip those methods—try them out. I always say the more skills and knowledge you have, the better. The first technique is layering (see Figure 17). This basic technique is the one most often used in the book. It has just one rule: Before painting the next layer, let the previous layer dry. To use this technique it is important to use the right consistency of gouache paint. So make double sure that your gouache paint is not watery so it will not destroy the base coat. Next is direct blending (see Figure 18). This is a commonly used technique in gouache painting. I personally find it very creative. So how does it work? Apply two or more colors on the paper and blend them with a brush. Take the different colors one by one from the palette, then use a moist brush to make the layer nice and smooth. This method is perfect for painting background layers as well as some separate elements. The gradient technique (see Figure 19) is a variation of the direct blending technique. The name speaks for itself; it is perfect for painting a gradient. So paint on one edge of the paper with one color and then add another color from another edge, leaving some free area between them. Little by little add each color to the other, blending them closer together until they meet in the middle. This way, you will get a beautiful and flowing gradient.
The next technique is softening (see Figure 20). Softening involves blurring the gouache layer with a wet brush. You can apply this technique in two ways. The first is to blur the layer edges, and the second is to blur the transition between two colors. In both cases, you need to be careful to blur the edges of the paint gently. Make sure that your brush is not too wet, and don’t make unnecessary movements with the brush.
The dry-brush technique (see Figure 21) is a great and creative technique that adds a nice texture to the painting. For this method, you should moisten the brush with water, then remove most of the moisture by wiping the brush with a paper towel. Next, take some gouache paint on the brush. Instead of the usual paint consistency (read more about the consistency of gouache paint here), use the thick gouache paint directly from the tube. Or, if it’s a mix of colors, use a minimal amount of water so you get the effect of the drybrush technique. For a better understanding of how this technique works, I recommend you practice and paint several types of lines and outline some simple objects. (Read more about brush strokes here). Dry-brush forming (see Figure 22) is a variation of the dry-brush technique. It works perfectly for painting backgrounds or some base layers. However, there is a secret to applying this technique. It would be difficult to paint the entire shape (especially if it’s a big shape) by using the dry-brush technique. So instead, first fill the shape with a smoother consistency of paint, then add only the edges with the dry-brush technique. Filbert and flat brushes work best for this technique.
The blending technique (see Figure 23), unlike in watercolors, isn’t used very often in gouache painting. But it is used in some of the projects in this book. Paint a layer and then add another color on the still-wet layer. Work quickly, because the gouache dries very fast. Splattering (see Figure 24) is also used in watercolor painting and brings some freshness, freedom and ease to your work. This technique is perfect for adding stars to a dark sky with white gouache. Splattered drops can be large or small, depending on the size of the brush you use. Splattering is usually added onto a dry layer, so let the previous layer dry first, then use paper or a paper towel to cover the area where you don’t want to add splattering. Take a little pigment onto the brush and flick it onto the exposed area.
And that’s all you need to get started with gouache! Just remember to keep practicing and have fun.
Landscapes INSPIRED BY NATURE All the lessons in this chapter are inspired by nature, and I created them with great love for the world we live in. I hope everyone finds a favorite project here. You may love the night sky strewn with stars, or you may prefer the mountain landscape, or maybe you are a sunset lover. All the projects are broken into simple steps and will demonstrate different gouache techniques to boost your painting skills.
STARRY NIGHT SKY I love starry night skies. It’s so romantic watching the stars and the moon in full silence. And with gouache, I will show you how quick and easy it is to paint this scene, which captures this silence and beauty on paper. Prepare your paints and brushes, and let’s paint the night sky step by step. SUPPLIES • White paper • Masking tape • Compass, or a round object with a small diameter • Pencil • Round brushes in different sizes • Filbert brushes in different sizes • Flat brush (optional) • Detail brush • Scrap paper or paper towels
NOTE: We’ll use the compass or a small round object for drawing the moon. For this project, I’ll trace inside a small washi tape roll, which is almost 1¼ inches (3 cm) in diameter. PROJECT COLORS COLOR MIXING • Grey (black + white, proportion 1:2) • Light grey (black + white, proportion 1:6) • Pastel ochre (yellow ochre + white, proportion 1:2) • Tint of purple (white + violet, proportion 2:1) • Dark purple (black + violet, proportion 1:2) • Tint of blue (white + ultramarine blue, proportion 1:4) • Pastel blue (white + ultramarine blue, proportion 2:1) • Pastel purple (white + violet, proportion 4:1)
STEP 1 First, secure the paper to your board or table with masking tape to define the painting area. Now draw a little circle with a pencil, as shown in Figure 1. There is no need to draw the details in the sketch. Let’s start the main work by coloring the moon. Prepare the following colors: grey, light grey and pastel ochre. Take the small round brush and paint the area with grey, as shown in Figure 2. Let the paint dry and then paint the rest of the moon with light grey. To make the moon look more colorful, you can also add a few touches of pastel ochre. (Read more about layering here.) Because the illustration will be done in a sketch style, I don’t advise painting additional details on the moon. However, later we’ll add some highlights for better contrast.
STEP 2 It’s time to fill the working area with the background (Figure 3). There are a few ways to do this. I will show you the one I think is more interesting. We’ll paint the radial gradient. It means that the color will be changing in a circular direction. In our case, the center is the moon. The gradient will start with the tint of purple, then smoothly shift to purple and finish in dark purple. To make the gradient, we’ll apply the direct blending technique (here). Take a large-sized filbert brush (or flat brush) and start filling the rectangle in with dark purple, from the edges toward the moon. One-third of the way to the moon, change to painting with purple. At the last two-thirds of the distance, start painting with the tint of
purple. Make circular movements around the moon, and try to blend colors directly on the paper as you go. Paint very carefully at the edges of the moon. I advise you to switch to a thin-tipped brush or even a detail brush to make the edges accurate. Let the painted layer dry completely.
STEP 3 The background is done, and we can paint some clouds on top of it. To simplify the cloud painting, you can break it down into highlights, mid-tones and shadows (see Figure 4). The background will play the role of the shadows. We need to add the mid-tones and highlights. Take the small filbert brush (or you can use a round brush) and add a layer in the tint of purple. Then paint the layer in the tint of blue, as shown in Figure 5. Don’t make these elements symmetrical; they should look random and realistic. After the painting is completely dry, move on to the final step. STEP 4 In this step, we will also use the layering technique (here). We are at the last stage, and let’s make it look like a proper starry night sky painting. First of all, let’s finish out the clouds (Figure 6). Paint bold highlights with pastel blue and pastel purple by using the filbert brush. Let the painted layer dry completely and paint one more layer to highlight areas of the cloud in white. This time use a small round brush. Now arm yourself with the detail brush and add highlights to the moon in white, as well as some additional details.
But don’t add too many details; a few touches will be enough. Let the painted layer dry completely. The final touch is adding the stars (Figure 7). We’ll apply the splattering technique (here) for this. It brings some charm and the effect of randomness. First, cover the areas of the clouds and the moon with some paper or paper towels to protect these areas from the splatters. Then, take a bit of white gouache on the small round brush and flick it on the painting. Don’t overdo the splattering; one or two flicks will be enough. TIP: Before adding the splattering on the painting, you can practice splattering on another sheet of paper so you know what to expect. Our beautiful painting is ready. Once it’s completely dry, take off the masking tape and … voilà! As for practicing, you can always play with shades and composition. Choose some analogous shades and try to apply other colors for the current project. I suggest you use some references for a better understanding of how to paint the clouds. Try to keep the clouds
simple. Figure 7 shows another painting I completed using the lesson. I like painting the sky and clouds so much. I always get such an impressive result, while also enjoying a great opportunity to practice with gouache. I hope you will enjoy it too.
DREAMY SUNSET The sunset is so inspiring to me. Because I am fortunate enough to live by the Baltic Sea, I see incredible sunsets over the sea almost every day. Each time it’s made up of different shades: from tender pastel tints to very saturated and vivid colors. It’s incredible. I couldn’t pass up including the sunset in this chapter and will show you how to paint it with gouache in a very cute and a bit surreal style. But still, the instruction is broken down into easy and straightforward steps, so let’s get started. SUPPLIES • White paper • Masking tape
• Filbert brush • Flat brush • Round brushes in different sizes • Detail brush PROJECT COLORS COLOR MIXING • Tint of brown (red + burnt umber, proportion 2:1) • Tint of blue (white + ultramarine blue, proportion 1:1) • Tint of grey (white + violet + black, proportion 4:1:1) • Pastel orange (white + orange, proportion 2:1) • Pastel yellow (white + yellow, proportion 2:1) • Pastel orange-red (white + orange + red, proportion 4:1:1) • Orange-red (white + orange + red, proportion 2:1:1)
STEP 1 This project doesn’t require a sketch. However, we need to define the working space. So, with the help of masking tape, define the vertical rectangular area you intend to paint. To start, take a filbert brush, or a flat one, and paint the sky of the landscape. For painting the sky, we use the direct blending technique (here). NOTE: The size of the brush depends on the size of the piece you are painting for this project. During this step, I use a big filbert brush in size 10. First, paint the upper part in the tint of brown. Make smooth, horizontal strokes with the filbert brush. Then, starting from twothirds down your paper, and moving toward the brown area, fill the
rest of the sky in orange (Figure 2). You want a smooth and flowing gradient. Let the painted layer dry completely. TIP: To make the transition smoother, take a clean, moistened brush and rub the transition area in one direction. STEP 2 Keep working with the same filbert or flat brush. This time, paint the water part of the landscape in the blank portion of the paper with violet. As soon as the layer dries, add on one layer of the tint of blue, as shown in Figure 3 (read more about the layering technique here). Allow the painting to dry completely. STEP 3 We already have the base for our sunset landscape. Let’s move on. During this step, you can continue to work with the filbert brush or use round brushes in medium and small sizes. Prepare the next colors: tint of grey, pastel orange and pastel yellow. Using the layering technique (here), add the details, in their
corresponding colors, as shown in Figure 4. Once again, let the painting dry. STEP 4 Although this is the last step, we still have a lot of work to do. Be patient and consistent. Let’s add color to the sun. As you can see in Figure 5, it is painted in white and the circle shape is broken. So, paint the sun according to the example, or paint the round-shaped sun in white gouache. TIP: If, after it dries, the white becomes transparent, add one more layer on the top for an opaque effect. Because we already have a sun in the piece, add all the reflections one by one in the following shades: pastel orange-red, orange-red, white and pastel yellow. Use a detail brush for this. Allow the work to dry completely. There are a few manipulations left before we complete the illustration. First, add clouds in the bottom part of the sky in the tint of brown and the pastel orange-red. Then add highlights to the upper clouds in pastel orange-red. Last, add birds in black and the tint of brown. The birds’ silhouettes shouldn’t be clearly defined; some little spots will be enough. Carefully take off the masking tape. After all your hard work, we are finally done! Don’t worry if everything doesn’t work out the first time you try it. Be patient and keep practicing. I recommend you practice first with the same colors, then change the composition slightly to add interesting details and play with the placement of elements. After you have some more experience, you can also change the colors of the project. Whatever you paint, practice makes everything better.
MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE This project is a quick and simple portrait of a mountain landscape, which will help you understand how to use gouache for more complicated scenes. Gouache allows you to paint in a simplified style or in a more detailed, realistic manner. I will guide you during this project and will demonstrate various tricks and techniques for using gouache to paint landscapes so you will be able to understand and use both styles. Let’s get started! SUPPLIES • White paper • Masking tape • Pencil and eraser • Large filbert or flat brush • Round brushes in different sizes • Detail brush PROJECT COLORS
TIP: If you don’t have exactly these two shades of green, use any other two you have: one lighter and one darker. COLOR MIXING • Tint of blue 1 (white + cerulean blue, proportion 1:3) • Tint of blue 2 (Prussian blue + cerulean blue, • proportion 1:1) • Dark blue (Prussian blue + black, proportion 3:1) • Tint of blue 3 (white + cerulean blue + black, proportion 2:6:1) • Pastel brown (white + yellow ochre + burnt umber, proportion 1:2:1)
STEP 1 Begin by using masking tape to secure the paper to your table or board to define the working area of the landscape painting. Once that’s done, proceed to the sketch of the landscape, following the outline in Figure 1. The sketch should not be detailed. Just draw a baseline of the mountain and mark forest areas and the horizon line.
You don’t have to draw the clouds in this sketch; we’ll add them later with gouache. With a big flat or filbert brush, first fill the sky area of the piece with the tint of blue 1 and let the layer dry. Then fill the mountain area in the tint of blue 2 (Figure 2). Let the painting dry completely. STEP 2 Switch to a medium round brush with a thin tip and paint the forest line at the left side in the dark blue (Figure 3). Try to make the upper part of this area imitate the peaks of the trees. It’s okay if you overlap the mountain layer with the trees a bit. Once this area is completely dry, paint the forest line at the right side in green and olive green, alternating with each other. It’s best to use the direct blending technique (here) for a smoother color transition effect. And don’t forget to make this area imitate the tree peaks, just as you did on the left side. Allow the painting to dry. STEP 3 Finally, we are ready to paint the water portion of the landscape. For this, take a flat, filbert or even a round brush and fill in the bottom part of the painting using tint of blue 3. Don’t wait until the
layer is dry (see blending, here) and add the tint of blue 1, green and olive green, as shown in Figure 4. These are reflections on the water surface, and the more detailed you create them, the more realistic the final piece will appear. Because we are painting the sketch variation, I recommend not adding too many of the reflection’s details. Allow the painting to dry. STEP 4 Time to add details to the painting (Figure 5). As I mentioned earlier, depending on how realistic you want your painting to be, you can add more or fewer details. I will go for a sketchier style and will add minimal details. Arm yourself with a small round brush and paint the snowcap on the mountain peak with white gouache. Let it dry and then paint the clouds. I advise painting the clouds in two stages (Figure 6): • Paint the base and blur it with a tiny amount of water (see softening, here). • When the base is dry, add more accent with white. If you are going for a more realistic style of painting, you can add even more layers of clouds, but at the same time try to keep them balanced and don’t add too many layers.
STEP 5 Now take a detail brush and add some shine on the water with the white. I applied the spots and some horizontal dashes for adding the highlights. Once again, you can add more details with white for a more realistic painting. Use the same detail brush for painting the details such as trees, rocks, some highlights and so forth. Paint the details in pastel brown and dark blue, as shown in Figure 7. I stopped myself at this point. However, if you would like, keep working with the details. Add more color on the forest lines, add some special details like a tiny house or maybe birds or whatever you want. I also recommend using different references to find some interesting ideas for accents. You can also experiment with the colors if you would like to practice this lesson (Figure 8). At the same time, keep the
composition simple and play with the details. I hope you find this lesson useful and fun. It will be a great start for painting any other mountain landscape with gouache.
ENCHANTING FOREST The forest is a place where we can find so much inspiration, as well as enjoy long walks and breathe fresh air. I personally love the forest. In these next pages, you will find a project that was inspired by the beauty of the forest. This lesson is about how to paint this type of landscape with gouache. Let’s begin. SUPPLIES • White paper • Masking tape (optional) • Pencil and eraser • Filbert brushes in different sizes • Round brushes in different sizes • Flat brush (optional) • Detail brush PROJECT COLORS
COLOR MIXING • Tint of blue 1 (white + cerulean blue, proportion 1:1) • Pastel blue (white + cerulean blue, proportion 2:1) • Tint of blue 2 (white + cerulean blue + green, proportion 2:1:1) • Tint of blue 3 (white + cerulean blue + green, proportion 2:2:1) • Blue-green (cerulean blue + green, proportion 1:1) • Tint of green 1 (green + yellow ochre, proportion 2:1) • Tint of green 2 (green + yellow ochre, proportion 1:1) • Tint of brown (white + burnt sienna, proportion 1:4) • Pastel brown (white + burnt umber, proportion 2:1) • Tint of green 3 (yellow + sap green, proportion 4:1) • Tint of green 4 (green + burnt umber, proportion 2:1)
STEP 1 Before sketching the project, let’s define a painting area. Choose one of the following options: • Use masking tape. • Create an abstract rectangular shape that does not require a preliminary draft; you can just mark the angles of the rectangle. • Draw a rectangle with a pencil. I will use the second method to show you how it works and that it’s not always necessary to use masking tape. Now let’s deal with the sketch. Pay attention to Figure 1, which shows the basic outline of the forest landscape. The landscape includes the background and foreground, which are separated by the skyline. In the background scene, we can see the trees and sky. In the foreground, there are big trees, a green field and a path. You could sketch all these elements, but because the gouache will cover
the pencil lines it doesn’t make sense. So I recommend you add only the skyline but keep the outline image in your mind while working on the project. Take a large filbert brush and fill the sky area in the tint of blue 1 and the pastel blue by using the direct blending technique (here) (Figure 2). If you don’t have a filbert brush, a round one or a flat brush should work too. Allow the layer to dry completely. STEP 2 Switch to a medium filbert brush or round brush. Using the same technique, paint the background trees in the tint of blue 2 and the tint of blue 3. Let the layer dry and then paint some details of the background trees in blue-green, as shown in Figure 3.
Try to make the background tree line asymmetrical and not perfect. This will make the painting look more realistic. Allow the painting to dry. STEP 3 It’s time to add the green field to the landscape (Figure 4). As in step 1, fill the bottom part in the tint of green 1 and the tint of green 2, by using the direct blending technique (here). Use a big filbert or round brush for this step. Let the layer dry completely.